Driven

Mountain folk are a unique kind of driver. That old song I heard as a child, "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" comes to mind. As we round a mountain only to suddenly find ourselves behind a slow moving car or worse, a loaded log truck, I just cannot help but yearn for the long straight four lane highways in the plains. In the Ozarks, people take driving an automobile to a whole new art form. Creeping down a mountain riding the brake, then suddenly accelerating on the way up the hill where a passing lane is provided. Some are even courteous enough to move over to the "slower traffic" lane as they generate a burst of speed thought impossible from the look of the vehicle. Others will follow one of the slow moving cars to the beginning of the passing lane, then move to the fast lane only to drive just beside the poky one until seconds before the extra lane must merge back in. A speed of 55 mph is the normal limit on most state highways around Dogpatch. Local residents see no reason why one should indulge in pushing that limit. Cruising around the mountain at roughly 40 mph seems perfectly adequate for most. Sometimes a turn is preceded by a signal as the car is beginning it's turn, hand signals are alive and well around these mountains, but for most a turn just gradually happens. After all, everyone knows he's always lived down this road. I still haven't seen those six white horses though.